Monastery of the Mother of God Kyriotissa(KYRIOTISSA MONASTERY)

The church of the Kyriotissa Monastery, called Kalenderhane Camii in
Turkish, was formerly believed to be the church of Christ Akataleptos.
However, when the building was restored, in 1966 and 1967 two frescoes of
the Mother of God Kyriotissa with inscriptions were found that allow a safe
identification. The church was built around 1190/95, thus only few years
before our fixed date 1200. It is the fourth building at the site: A late
roman bath close to the aqueduct was replaced in the late 6th century by a
small basilica. A second church was added to the south side in the 7th
century. The present church was erected in its place reusing the main apse
and parts of the outer narthex. During the latin occupation after 1204, it
served probably as a Dominican monastery and was decorated with one of the
oldest known fresco cycles about the life of St. Francis of Assisi.

The first volume of the publication "Kalenderhane in Istanbul", edited by C. L.
Striker, has just appeared. The perspective section above is based on this work.